2nd Unit DOP and B Camera Operator - Nina Wells

One day this will be unremarkable, but right now it looks like milestone. The South Pacific Pictures production in conjunction with Shaftesbury in Canada, drama series The Sounds recently completed shooting in Auckland with a 50/50 female and male camera crew. 

There were no special favours. The camera crew was hired on talent, capability, work ethic, suitability and experience. When you do that, the only thing stopping a gender balanced crew is availability. 

Director of Photography David Paul NZCS and 1st AC A Camera Daniela 'Nani' Conforte

Thanks, in part, to the efforts of NZCS and the Cushla Lewis Gender Diversity program, there were people like cinematographer Nina Wells ready to pick up the work. She will be credited as the 2nd Unit DOP and B Cam Operator – so far a rarity for Kiwi women, and was applauded for executing the job without missing a beat. What’s more congratulations are in order because Nina happens to be pregnant. 

2nd Unit DOP and B Cam Operator Nina Wells with 1st AC B Camera Neal Wagstaff 

Still, as an industry and a cinematography organisation we can’t sit back – even if day players occasionally pushed the female proportion on The Sounds crew to over half and half.  

As an industry we need more female camera crew coming through, and camera crew mothers like Nina will need to know they will be welcomed back into the workforce where they left off.  

1st AC B Camera Operator Neal Wagstaff 

NZCS is working on that and with help and given time, a gender balanced camera crew will no longer be a milestone, it will be just another day on set. 

Director of Photography David Paul NZCS and 1st AC A Camera Daniela "Nani" Conforte

THE SOUNDS - CAMERA CREW

Director of Photography - David Paul

2nd Unit DOP and B Camera Operator - Nina Wells

1st AC A Camera - Daniela "Nani" Conforte

1st AC B Camera - Neal Wagstaff

2nd AC A Camera - Jack Vincent

Camera Assistant - Laura Tait

Camera Assistant Laura Tait

2nd AC A Camera Jack Vincent